Lille , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka each faced questions heading into Switzerland 's Davis Cup final in France .

For Federer , how would his tender back hold up ?

For Wawrinka , would he recover after a tough -- and contentious -- loss to his higher-profile Swiss at the World Tour Finals in London last week ?

We got our answers Friday at the Stade Pierre Mauroy on a record setting day in Lille -- but for once Federer was n't the one rewriting the history books .

In front of the largest ever tennis crowd for a pro match -- at 27,432 it eclipsed the 27,200 that turned up to watch Spain beat the U.S. in a converted Seville bullring in the 2004 Davis Cup final -- Federer not only fell to Gael Monfils but could n't put up much of a fight .

The 6-1 6-4 6-3 result against Monfils -- who piped down his histrionics -- marked his most lopsided defeat in 45 singles matches in the competition .

`` You accept the fact that you 're playing the way you feel , '' Federer told reporters . `` But it was n't all negative . I started to feel better as the match went on . That 's very encouraging , I must say . ''

Also encouraging for Federer and the Swiss , Wawrinka thumped a listless Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-2 to begin the day .

Federer 's performance , coupled with France 's apparent advantage in Saturday 's doubles , means it 's the home team who 'll be happier come the end of play .

One of the two major titles to elude Federer in his glittering career is a Davis Cup crown and how disappointed he must have been that on his debut in a Davis Cup final he was at less than full strength .

Monfils , however , remains one of the most athletic players in the game and owned a pair of wins over Federer .

With French captain Arnaud Clement able to rein him in during changeovers , he played focused tennis .

`` Definitely one of the top three matches in my life , '' said Monfils , who squandered two match points against Federer at the U.S. Open .

Monfils broke early in the first and facing an immediate break point , struck a courageous second-serve ace that delighted his many fans .

Clay can be classified as the least forgiving of surfaces when it comes to unforced errors , which made Monfils ' tally of 44 winners and 18 unforced errors extremely impressive .

In truth at times he was quick to pounce on short Federer balls .

He earned the key break at 2-2 in the third in breath-taking fashion , slamming a forehand down the line and later in the game sliding into his backhand prior to sending it past Federer and down the line .

And what a way to end it : Monfils produced another shot down the line , a backhand from a difficult angle .

Wawrinka , meanwhile , sparkled against French No. 1 Tsonga , displaying some of the artillery that won him the Australian Open in January for a maiden grand slam title .

His stats were even better than Monfils ' -- 61 winners and 29 unforced errors .

`` I know how to play those matches , '' Wawrinka said . `` I did so many big matches , so many important matches this year .

`` Today it 's important to show them that I 'm there . They -LRB- were -RRB- maybe too focused -LRB- on -RRB- Roger and maybe they forgot about me . ''

He showed no after effects of the loss to Federer , when he blew four match points and was reportedly taunted by Federer 's wife , Mirka .

For large parts of the affair he targeted Tsonga 's backhand with his own sublime one-handed backhand , easily getting the better of the 2008 Australian Open finalist .

At one stage , even the crowd -- most of course were rooting for Les Bleus -- admired Wawrinka 's laser-like backhand in reply to a slack Tsonga forehand volley .

Wawrinka stormed to the first set and when he held a break point to begin the second , it appeared as if the Swiss No. 2 's better form would see him cruise in three .

But Tsonga hung on , altered the momentum and for a brief spell in the third set was in the ascendancy .

The loudest the crowd got in the opener was in that third set , when an agitated Tsonga implored them off their feet when he saved a set point with an ace at 2-5 . The outstretched arms of Clement at precisely the same time suggested an expression of , ` It 's about time , ' and the Swiss cow bells were temporarily silenced .

There 's no doubt that Wawrinka was slightly rattled .

Tsonga smelled blood when Wawrinka trailed 0-30 on serve , but the latter rallied to close out the set -- and the match , realistically -- despite double faulting on one of his set points .

Tsonga was annoyed with his performance but also with the French fans , who he felt were n't vocal enough .

`` When the teams were introduced , they applauded Stan more than us , Roger more than us , '' he said . `` We hear the Swiss spectators more than we hear the French ones .

`` Stan , for example , announced that the ball was out , and it was in .

`` I just went to check the mark , and I was booed in my own country -- maybe not by the French spectators but by the Swiss spectators . It 's annoying . ''

With Monfils ' victory over Federer , it guaranteed so-called ` live ' action Sunday and Clement would surprise a few if he stuck with the out-of-sorts Tsonga to begin the reverse singles .

For the time being , Federer is n't ruling himself out of Saturday 's doubles .

`` Now I 'm coming out of the match without any pain , which is good , too , '' said Federer . `` It was not a five-setter -LRB- that left -RRB- me totally exhausted . So if I have to find something positive about it , I 'll say that .

`` But it is clear that I want to play better . If I play the doubles and the singles , it needs to be a lot better than today . Now I have the information and I know exactly what I have to do . ''

Wawrinka and Federer both are n't scheduled to play doubles but they can be called upon Saturday .

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Switzerland and France are tied after the opening day of the Davis Cup final in Lille

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Stan Wawrinka crushes Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to give Switzerland a 1-0 advantage

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But then Gael Monfils defeats a potentially ailing Roger Federer in the second singles

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More than 27,400 turned up on the day , the largest tennis crowd for a pro match